Help! Fairfax vs Falls Church City

[Anonymous]

Hi everyone,

I need some advice, please. Our house is both in Fairfax and Falls Church City (the line goes through the kitchen). Once my children are old enough (they are currently 4 and 3 months) I have the option of sending them to FCC or Fairfax (Haycock/Longfellow/McLean). I know that both are good options and I've read some of the older posts on this board but I could really use advice. Right now, I'm leaning towards FCC for convenience (closer to my house, guaranteed before and after care) and smaller class size but would love some opinions on both schools. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi everyone,

I need some advice, please. Our house is both in Fairfax and Falls Church City (the line goes through the kitchen). Once my children are old enough (they are currently 4 and 3 months) I have the option of sending them to FCC or Fairfax (Haycock/Longfellow/McLean). I know that both are good options and I've read some of the older posts on this board but I could really use advice. Right now, I'm leaning towards FCC for convenience (closer to my house, guaranteed before and after care) and smaller class size but would love some opinions on both schools. Thanks!

If you can get guaranteed before and after-school care in FCC, but not in Fairfax County, and you think you'd want to take advantage of it, it seems like an easy choice.

They are both very good school systems/pyramids. Some of our kids play sports, and we never wanted to be in FCC for that reason (the FCC teams don't play local teams because George Mason is so small; instead, they mostly play other small schools in rural parts of Virginia). But that doesn't sound like something you'd be thinking about for a long time.

[Anonymous]

The PP made good points. You might first want to look into the SACC availability at Haycock - it might not be an issue. I've heard that the small class sizes in FCC are a big plus BUT that they don't have as good of a program for gifted kids as Fairfax County does. So if you think your kid might be gifted or might want to play sports, FCC might be a better bet.

Are you planning to stay in the house forever? You could always do FCC for now, and then if you move later, do Fairfax County once you no longer need SACC.

[Anonymous]

FYI - There's a good chance that Haycock would be under renovation for several years while your older is in elementary school. OTOH, Longfellow is being renovated now, and some don't like the fact that Henderson and George Mason sit right on Route 7.

[Anonymous]

We live in FCC and had a child start kindergarten this year. It has been a very easy, gentle transition for everyone, in large part I think because Mt. Daniel is only K and 1st. Everyone, from Principal Halayko down to our bus driver, really walks the walk when it comes to keeping the school small, attentive and nurturing. Mt.D and TJ also implement the IB program's Primary Years Programme, so even kids not identified as G/T get a really strong and rich education.

On the other hand, playing sports at Mason, as someone pointed out, is challenging because of the geographical spread within their division. Maybe start in one system and move to another as your kids age?

[Anonymous]

13:56: What kind of GT program does FCC have?

[Anonymous]

My son is in the TAAP program at Thomas Jefferson and loves it. I don't have a lot of experience with these things, but he is pulled out of class once a week for "enrichment" activities. It is similar to the non-center program at my FCPS elementary school 30 years ago and what we had previously in a different state.

Obviously, because FCC is so small, there is no center school. I've seen somewhere that about 15% of the kids are in the TAAP program?

The school at large is doing the IB Primary Years Programme. That is similar to what I have seen as a private school or center based whole learning program.

There is a lot of information about the program and the curriculum on the FCC Public School website.

From my experience, the FCC school are fabulous, particularly in the younger years. I wouldn't pass up going to Mt. Daniel or TJ.

[Anonymous]

Not related, but how do the taxes work? is it proportional between FC and Fairfax, or what?

[Anonymous]

I wish we had that choice! We are currently at Haycock and do indeed like it. But there is about a 2 year SAAC waitlist for after school care(maybe 1 year for before) I wish my K kid did not have to be bused somewhere after school. Also I do worry about class size and space issues as their years progress in the McLean pyramid. I know it is worse already elsewhere but smaller class size is a plus.

[Anonymous]

FCC taxes are higher than Ffx or Arlington, but I feel we pretty much get what we pay for. The schools are small, the city government is small, the lines of communication are very open. With relatively few people, it's very hard for someone to get lost in the system or to be overwhelmed by bureaucracy.

[Anonymous]

I love, love, love the idea of the small (and high quality) school district. The graduating class last year was under 150 kids I think. I have heard nothing but good things about Mt Daniel and Thomas Jefferson as well. I'm sure FFX is good as well, but given the choice, I'd want to send my kids to FCC.

[Anonymous]

I know K sizes in Mt Daniel are small (20 kids with a teacher and an aide). I don't know how it is in the later years (and how that compares to Haycock), does anyone have that info?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know K sizes in Mt Daniel are small (20 kids with a teacher and an aide). I don't know how it is in the later years (and how that compares to Haycock), does anyone have that info?

Class sizes in second and third grade this year range from 21-23 and 5th grade class sizes also seem to max out at about 23. We're new to FCC schools this year, and so far we're really impressed. Instruction seems to be well tailored to students' abilities (rather than cookie cutter application of a set curriculum), the environment is overwhelmingly positive and caring, and teachers and administrators have been great at communicating with us.

[Anonymous]

Hi everyone-

OP here-thanks for the very helpful responses! I think we will send them to FCC based on my research and this feedback. If they turn out to be athletes, we can always move them. Based on the convenience factor alone, FCC is the way to go but you've given me many more reasons. For the tax question, currently we pay only in FFX but will pay a portion to each but the rate in FCC is higher than Fairfax.

Thanks so much!

[Anonymous]

OP, make sure you can move them once you make a choice. That is, once you decide, is your house "locked in"? I think it may be. Check before you make a final decision if it isn't already too late. I'm just not sure you can flip-flop once you've made a decision, but I could be wrong.